Rudolf eickemeyer



, d. YG e D R, E V.. E M E K C I E R.

(N'o7 Model.)

R. EIGKEMEYER, JR, Executor,

ELECTRIC LOCUMOIIIVE.

Patented Aug. 10, 1897.

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ELECTRIC LUCOMOTIVE.

Patented Aug. 10, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLF EICKEMEYER, OF YONKERS, NENV YORK; RUDOLF EIOKEMEYER, JR.,EXEOUTOR OF SAID RUDOLF EICKEMEYER, DEOEASED.

ELI-:orme ,LocoMoTlvE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.588,105, dated August 10, 1897.

Application led August 23, 1892. Serial No. 443,837. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that l, RUDOLF EICKEMEYEE, of Yonkers, in the county oflVestchester and State of NewYork, have invented certain new 5 anduseful Improvements in Electric Locomotives; and I do hereby declarethat the followin g specification, taken in connection with the drawingsfurnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, and completedescripio tion of my invention.

My said improvements relate to that class of electric locomotives inwhich gearing is employed for coupling the motor-armature to the drivenaxle, and although my invention 15 is in part applicable to any type ofgeared motor I have preferred to disclose the same as embodied by'me inwhat are known as single-reduction machines, wherein a pinion carried bythe armature-shaft of the mo- 2o tor meshes with a gear carried by orupon the driven axle.

The objects of my invention are to secure the motor against rail-shocks,assure a smooth and favorable transmission of power by way 2 5 of thegearing, and a peculiar and valuable flexibility between the car-body,the motor, the gear-frame, and the driven axle, all of which isconduciveto durability of the mechanism and ease in operation.

After describing my improvements in detail as organized by me thefeatures deemed novel will be duly specified in the clauses of claimhereunto annexed.

Referring'to the drawings, Figure l illus- 3 5 trates a portion of thesill or Hoor-framing of a car in lateral vertical section, the motorsuspended therefrom, the gear-frame, and the driving-axle and itsgear-frame and wheels, all as when in position on track-rails. Fig. 2illustrates the same partly in plan view, but mainly in horizontalsection, and with the top of the motor-casing detached, disclosing thearmature. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the motor and one of thedriving-wheels, the 45 Hoor-frame, the motor-suspending links, and

a part of the gear-frame beingshown in section. Fig. et is a sectionalview on line a, of

Fig. 2, illustrating the driving-gear and its cushioned connection withthe driving-axle. 5o Figs. 5 and 6 respectively illustrate in side andtop views the disk which is keyed to the axle and is engaged by the gearby way of the interposed cushioning-springs.

The electric motor A is of the type of motors heretofore patented to meand adapted to operate at high speed, the armature a becentral sectionof the latter affording bearings for the armature-shaft a', as isclearly indicated in the drawings. At the one side of said centralsection, near its gravity center, and projecting centrally at rightangles to the motor,there is a supporting or suspending stud c, to whichis pivotally hinged a pendent link c', the latter being hinged at itstop to a heavy strap which is supported by one of the cross-beams d ofthe sill or floor-frame B of the car.

At the opposite side ofthe motor a projecting gooseneck arm c is boltedto the central section of the casing, the outer end of the arm beingprovided with a projecting suspending-stud c3 in line with the otherstud and like that connected by a link c4t and a strip c5 to anothercross-beam d of the floorframe B. Thus while firmly suspending the motorfrom a spring-mounted car-body, as heretofore provided for by me, themotor is now flexibly and pivotally mounted with relation to thecar-body, the latter being capable of tilting laterally independently ofthe motor, which has `also a similar capacity.

The driving-wheels C C and the driven axle C are as heretofore, theaxle-journals being, as usual, outside of the wheels and having theusual jaw-hangers'and springs over the boxes for supporting the car-bodywith the motor suspended therefrom. I

The armature-shaft a has its bearings in long sleeves or bushings co2CL2, each of which is clamped beneath suitable caps on the centralsection of the motor-casing, and near one end said shaft carries apinion or small gear f, which meshes with the large axle-gear g, mountedloosely on the drivenaxle O. As an essential feature in one portion ofmy invention this gear must be provided with a number ofannularly-disposed seats for cushioning-springs to abut against, asheretofore, and the faces of said seats should be in radial planes.bolted together, and has four arms or spokes ing, as usual,within amagnetic casing b, the

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The axle-gear is castin two parts,

g', each of which near the rim is provided with internal inclinedannular bearings or seats g2, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. v

Outside of the axle-gear gand on the driven axle there is a disk h,which is constructed in sections bolted together and securely keyed tothe axle C. The inner side of said disk is provided with fourlaterally-projecting arms h, each of which has two bearing-seats 77.2,all located in the same plane asthe several seats g2 on the gear-armsg/, so that strong short spiral springs Zr, may be interposed betweeneach two seats g2 and h2, the several springs being all undercompression and annularly arranged and in line with the center of theteeth or face of the gear, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 4.

The axle-gear g, being loosely mounted on the driving-axle, ispractically supported by the disk ZL upon its interveningcushioningsprings, it being obvious that at every point in its rotationthe axle-gear always has areliable supporting-bearing on two or more ofthe springs, and therefore no vertical railshocks communicated to theaxle by way of the wheels can be directly imparted to the axle-gear g.So also, regardless of the direction in which the locomotive may bemoving, no shocks can be directly imparted to the gear g as the resultof tangential shocks received by the wheels at the rails, as when thelatter have imperfect joints or when stones or other obstructive mattersare encountered or when curves are taken at considerable speed or inpassing over vfrogs at junctions and switches.

In starting and stopping the locomotive the freedom of the gear g toyield within certain limits is also conducive to the durability oftheteeth of that gear, as well as of such other gears or pinions as may beemployed between it and the motor-armature, and with the prompt startingof a motor there is a less sudden strain, as between the wire windingand the core of the armature, because of said yielding capacity. It isobvious' that any axle-gear may be thus combined with thespring-cushionin g disk regardless of the manner in which power iscommunicated to the axle-gear for the armature l of the motor. Thisgeneral method of cushioning the gearing is not new with me, but theorganization of spring cushioned gearing with the pivotally-suspendedmotor constitutes a valuable feature of my invention.

As heretofore organized and patented by me the gearing is inclosed by acasing, which is organized as a portion of the gear-frame, but mypresent machine in this connection embodies novel features in theconstruction of the gear-frame and in its combination with the suspendedmotor. This gear-frame D is constructed in two sections divided on ahorizontal plane inline with the axis of the driving-axle andsurrounding the latter. It extends from one wheel-hub to the other. Thetwo sections of the frame are bolted together the casing at the otherend of the motor serves as another arm, which with the arm Z is sohinged to or in line with the motor-shaft that the latter holds thegear-frame against rotative movement on the driving-axle and alsomaintains the pinion and the gear in proper working relations. Thegear-chamber, being thus mounted and serving as a link hinged orarticulated with both the axle and the motor, constitutes an inclosinghousing for the gearing, while the arm Z, extending from the axle to themotor, assures appropriate relations between the other endof the motorand the axle.

The central slee-ve or tubular portion of the gear-frame D has an ovalinterior in crosssection, as shown in Fig. 3, but interior webs, as at ZZ2 Z3 Z4, loosely engage with the axle, as shown in said figure, butmore fully in Fig. 2, thus limiting frictional contact to several verysmall areas. The axle-gearg, b eing loosely mounted on the axle, is keptin place closely adjacentto the coupling-disk Zi by means of an interiorweb Z5, the latter loosely engaging peripherally and laterally with theshouldered hub g3 of the axle-gear. l/Vith a view to special durabilityin avoiding undue wear between the gear-frame and the axle thebearing-points at Z', Z2, Z3, and Z4 should be provided with metaljournal-boxes and also a similar box for the hub of the axle-gear torevolve in.

The armature or Amotor shaft'a, as before described, has its bearings inlong sleeves or bushings a2 a2, and it will be observed that while thesebushings are securely held against rotation by the box-caps on thecasing or frame of the mot-or both of said bushings are loosely embracedby the adjacent portions of the gear-frame, one at the outer end of thearm Zand the other by that portion of the gear-frame which occupies thespace between the pinion fand the end of the motor-frame, as shown inFig. 2. The adjacent outer end of the motor or armature shaft is alsoloosely embraced by the adjacent portion of the gearframe, so that thehinging of the latter with reference to the armature-shaft is mainlyrestricted to the non-rotative bushings.

It w'ill now be obvious that the electric motor is capable of beingmoved up and down with the car-body while responding to the action ofthe car-springs and that the gearframe will be freely tilted on the axleto correspond with such movements. The armature or motor shaft has aslight capacity for longitudinal movement, and so also has thegear-frame a similar capacity not only with relation to thedriving-axle, but also on the armature-shaft and its bushings, and henceif the swaying action of the car-body should TCC IIO

sway the motor the latter may cause a slight sidewise movement ofthegear-frame; but the whole organization is so flexible in its capacitiesthat each part thereof can readly adjust itself to the various vibratorymovements incident to railway-service. With the motor iiexiblysuspended, as described, from a spring-mounted car-body the latter underordinary circumstances will, as a rule, sway to and fro without causingany corresponding movement of the motor; but if the latter does swing itcannot injure any of the connecting mechanism or cause undue binding orfriction at the iiexible connections of the several parts.

The sharp longitudinal tilting movements of the driven axle liable tooccur independently of the car-body cannot cause any tightening orbinding action of the armature-shaft at its bearings, because the motoris pivoted to the car-body on a line at right angles to the driven axleand it can promptly assume positions most favorable to smooth and easyoperation.

If the axle-gear was keyed to the axle and therefore employed withoutthe annular cushioning-springs and disk, then the flexibly-suspendedmotor, the gear-frame, and the pinion on the motor-shaft would involvecertain effective portions of my invention.

The novel suspension of the motor from the floor-frame of the car orlocomotive, as described, as by the laterally-vibrative links andpivotal supporting-studs on the motorcasing at right angles to thedriven axle, involves a portion of myinvention which may be profitablyemployed regardless of the means by which power is or may becommunicated from the motor to the driven axle or axles, because of thefact that during swaying movements the motor and the car-body are freewithin prescribed limits to sway independently vof each other and eachserves to smoothly check undue swaying movement by either.

In the organization described, as with my prior patented machines,desirable facility is aiorded for assemblingT the parts, as well as indismantling for repairs. Through the usual trap-door in the car-flooraccess may be had to the motor-brushes. The top section of themotor-Casin g can be unbolted and readily removed for exposing thearmature, or, if inspection only is desired, the bottom section of thecasing may be unbolted and dropped out of the way. If the armature is tobe removed, the upper portion of the gear-frame and casing can bereadily detached, leaving the central and bottom portions of the motor-Casin g in tact; and for inspecting the gearing the lower portion of thegear-frame can be unbolted and dropped out of'place, leaving all therest of the machine intact.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. In an electric locomotive or car, thecombinationsubstantially as described, of an electric motor pivotallysuspended from the car-door; a pinion on the motor-shaft; a driven axle;a gear-frame flexibly supported, at one end upon said axle, and at theother end upon the motor-shaft, an axle-gear loosely mounted on the axleand meshing with the pinion; a disk keyed to said axle alongside of saidgear; spring-seats on said gear and on said disk, in one plane; andsprings annularly arranged and interposed between each two adjacentseats, affording a rotative yielding connection between the axle-gearand the driven axle.

2. In an electric locomotive or car, the combination substantially ashereinbefore described, of an electric motor suspended from thefloor-frame of the car, a pinion on the armature or motor shaft, anaxle-gear meshing with the pinion, and rotatively coupled to the axle,and a gear-frame carried on said axle, and hinged to the motor inlinewith its armature-shaft. Y

3. In an electric locomotive or car, the combination substantially asdescribed, of the car door-frame, an electric motor having two pivotalsupporting-studs projecting centrally at right angles to the motor, inopposite directions and lengthwise of the car; and pendent linksiiexibly connecting the supportingstuds of the motor with the carfloor-frame, whereby the oar door-frame and the motor, may separatelytilt or be tilted, and sway or vibrate from side to side withinprescribed limits independently of each other.

4. In an electric locomotive, an axle, a motor separate therefrom,gearing between the motor and the axle, a link hinged or articulatedwith both the axle and the motor constituting a housing for the gearing,and another arm extending from the axle to the motor.

RUDOLF EICKEMEYER.

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